


Little Dumpling

by justanoutlaw



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Dog adoption, Dogs, Gen, Post-Canon, Post-Season/Series 07
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-30 17:49:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20101204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanoutlaw/pseuds/justanoutlaw
Summary: Regina finds just what she's missing at an adoption fair in the park.





	Little Dumpling

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by Anonymous on CuriousCat: Prompt: Regina adopting a dog because she feels lonely

Regina knew that she wasn’t alone. She had her family, of course. These days, however, they were so busy. Henry had taken over the Storybrooke Mirror and Ella was trying to figure out what she wanted to do in the new realm, while both of them parented Lucy. Robin and Alice were planning their wedding with the help of Zelena and Killian. Emma ran the town, juggling a new baby. Snow and David had their own darling family on top of jobs. Sure, Regina had her own role as Queen of the United Realms, but when she came home…she was alone.

She had tried dating but there wasn’t much out there for her, at least for the time being. After quite a few epic love stories, she was taking a break from that for a while. Her child was all grown up with a family of his own, not needing her in the same way he once had. Everyone was so busy and while she hung out with all of them at different parts of the day, the mansion was empty at the end of it.

One day after her morning coffee and pastry, she walked through town, feeling much like she had before she adopted Henry. There were many people she could’ve gone to see, but she felt as though she would’ve just been in the way. As she circled around to the park, she noticed that there was a big yellow banner that read “Pet Adoption Fair”. She could remember the new town’s mayor running it past her at the last meeting. There were a variety of different animals, from cats to dogs, to even some pigs and lizards. She bent down to pet each and every one, watching as families flocked to all of them.

There was one in particular, however, that she felt connected to. A bulldog pup with a wrinkled face and big brown eyes sat alone in one of the pens, not playing with any of the toys around. Regina crouched down, holding out her hand so he could sniff it. Immediately, the pup did so, licking her with his sandpapery tongue. The volunteer walked over, holding a clipboard.

  
“This is Gnocchi,” she explained. “He’s the runt of the litter, no one’s been interested so far.”

Regina frowned. “That’s a shame.” She ran her hands through his fur.

“His mama was found on the side of the road, I’m afraid this is his 3rd adoption fair.”

“Well, that just won’t do, will it now,” Regina murmured, as she looked into the eyes of the tiny pup. “What’s the adoption process like?”

A few forms and a quick trip to the pet store later, Regina had all she needed to bring little Gnocchi home. He had probably more toys than anyone needed and a whole cookie jar filled with treats, along with a king-sized dog bed that would stay at the foot of her own. Either way, neither would be alone again.


End file.
